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The GMAT Sample Math question is an arithmetic problem solving question from the topic percentages and fraction. The concept tested is to find the whole given a part and information about what % of the whole is the part.

In an election contested by two parties, Party D secured 12% of the total votes more than Party R. If party R got 132,000 votes, by how many votes did it lose the election?

A. 240,000
B. 300,000
C. 168,000
D. 36,000
E. 24,000

The correct choice is (D) and the correct answer is 36,000.

Let the percentage of the total votes secured by Party D be x%
Then the percentage of total votes secured by Party R = (x - 12)%

As there are only two parties contesting in the election, the sum total of the votes secured by the two parties should total up to 100%

i.e., x + x - 12 = 100
2x - 12 = 100
or 2x = 112 or x = 56%.

If Party D got 56% of the votes, then Party got (56 - 12) = 44% of the total votes.

44% of the total votes = 132,000
i.e., = 132,000
=>     T = = 300,000 votes.

The margin by which Party R lost the election = 12% of the total votes

= 12% of 300,000 = 36,000.

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